This study examines how an intentionally designed, school-university partnership (SUP) influenced elementary school pre-service teachers' (PSTs) development of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices. Each of the three cohorts of PSTs showed growth on the Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy (CRTSE) instrument. Despite modifications in the course timing of CRT content across semesters, there were no statistically significant differences in the final CRTSE scores, meaning that all three cohorts ended with generally similar levels of self-efficacy related to culturally responsive teaching. Additionally, through inductive coding of focus group and online survey data, PSTs reported building relationships with students as well as planning and teaching lessons associated with CRT. Future implications include intentionally designing practicum experiences for PSTs that focus on planning, teaching, and reflecting on the use of CRT with children alongside explicit coursework on the theory and applications of CRT.
This study investigates the mediating roles of hope and empathy in the relationship between attitudes toward the teaching profession and psychological well-being among pre-service teachers. The study participants consisted of 431 pre-service teachers selected through a convenience sampling method. The data analysis revealed a significant and positive relationship between the predicted variables. The effect of attitudes toward the teaching profession on psychological well-being was attenuated by the inclusion of the mediating variables empathy, trait hope, and state hope in the model. Thus, empathy, trait hope, and state hope were found to partially mediate the relationship between attitudes toward the teaching profession and psychological well-being. The findings demonstrate the importance of incorporating positive psychology-based interventions focusing on hope and empathy practices into the education of pre-service teachers. Integrating positive psychology practices into teacher education for developing teachers will contribute to the universal enrichment of education policies.
This study investigated the On-Campus Learning Immersion Program implemented by a teacher education institute in the northern Philippines as an alternative to student teachers' practice teaching requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a qualitative approach, the research explored the experiences of 12 student teachers through interviews, focus group discussions, and portfolio analysis. The program implemention provided new insights into supporting student teachers amid educational disruptions. Findings revealed critical nuances regarding student teachers' perceptions of their readiness for induction into the teaching profession, given the program's unique constraints. Nevertheless, the results have significant implications concerning the necessity of establishing a well-structured and formalized mentoring program for student teachers that is responsive to a post-pandemic era in teacher development. This institutionalized mentoring initiative must be part of a comprehensive, programmatic effort designed to effectively prepare, develop, and produce student teachers processing the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions for effective classroom practice.
Teachers' research orientations may influence how they benefit from professional learning programmes (PLP) designed to enhance their research competencies. The study investigated a specific group of teachers' (n = 258) research orientations (tendencies for research engagement and attitudes towards research), and how their attitudes differed based on school level, professional seniority, last diploma level, research training, and experience to develop a PLP that trains and supports teachers for their research. A questionnaire was developed with questions for teachers' research tendencies and a scale for research attitudes. Findings indicated that teachers considered educational research important, beneficial, and research findings may be applicable; they generally had positive attitudes but were not immediately ready for research engagement. Teachers' research experience made a difference in their attitudes in general and in the three dimensions of the scale: contribution of research to teachers' professional development, general research attitudes, and applicability and usefulness of educational research.
Despite the considerable growth in the development of instruments assessing teachers within the framework of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), a comprehensive tool that addresses the cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions of classroom teaching for sustainable development in a holistic manner remains lacking. The present study developed and validated the Teaching for Sustainable Development Scale (TSuDeS) to assess teachers' ESD teaching competences. Utilizing an exploratory sequential mixed-method design, the scale was administered to 652 teachers. Validity studies utilized the Content Validity Index for content, in conjunction with factor analyses for the construct, while reliability was determined via Cronbach's alpha. The final three-dimensional scale exhibited acceptable model fit and high reliability. The TSuDeS provides a robust instrument for researchers and policymakers, supporting teacher training, professional development programs, and curriculum enhancement for ESD. Its application aligns with SDG 4.7, contributing to quality education and sustainability goals.
Despite sustained policy attention to close the poverty-related attainment gap in Scotland, child poverty continues to affect students' educational experiences and outcomes. Teachers can play a role in addressing this challenge, yet their effectiveness depends on how they perceive and respond to poverty. This study explores pre-service teachers' perceptions of poverty and teachers' roles in addressing it. Qualitative data from 18 participants were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that participants primarily perceive poverty as financial hardship, though some acknowledged broader constraints related to limited opportunities. Participants also emphasised that teachers' actions can shape classroom dynamics in ways that either support or marginalise children experiencing poverty. The study highlights the need for ITE programmes to broaden pre-service teachers' understandings of poverty beyond its financial aspects to include social and educational dimensions. By engaging with these, pre-service teachers can build the agency needed to design inclusive practices for children in poverty.
Grounded in Bandura's social cognitive theory and integrated with Professional Learning Community (PLC) frameworks, this study addresses a gap in Latin American research by examining how PLCs foster interdependence to enhance efficacy beliefs and collaboration. This study explored the effects of PLCs on teacher collaboration, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy in nine Chilean urban schools. Over the two years, 61 teachers were surveyed before and after PLC implementation. Results showed significant gains in collaborative practices, especially structured collaboration and decision-making. However, improvements in self-efficacy were modest and statistically insignificant, and collective efficacy slightly declined. The findings suggest that while PLCs enhance collaboration, shifting efficacy beliefs requires deeper, experience-based interventions. Limitations include reliance on self-reports and a small sample; implications highlight the need for sustained context-sensitive PLC designs to support teacher development in resource-constrained settings. The study recommends future research include student outcomes and mixed methods to better understand PLCs' broader educational impact.
The study aimed to examine the digital competence beliefs of elementary school teachers in Jordan and to identify their digital professional development needs to meet the demands of the twenty-first century. Data was collected using a mixed method combining a quantitative survey with open-ended questions. A total of 679 elementary school teachers (grades one to four) completed the online survey and open-ended questions. The results showed that the experienced beliefs level of the competency was low, and no differences were found based on years of teaching experience or school location (urban or rural). Teachers identified three main areas where they need training: pedagogical digital competence, selecting and using digital resources, and technical skills. These findings suggest that digital competence is not just about training but also reflects teachers' underlying ideas about teaching, learning, and the role of technology in educational change.
This longitudinal mixed-methods study explored how in-service professional development in a Dutch comprehensive secondary school corresponded with teachers' self-reported differentiated instruction (DI) practices across five domains. Quantitative data were collected using a one-group repeated measures design, followed by nominal group interviews for qualitative insights. Multilevel growth modeling (teacher n = 124, repeated measure n = 271) indicated significant increases in self-reported DI practices within the activities and materials domain. No significant effects were found in the other domains. Teachers attributed the increases to peer workshops, structured lesson design with implementation support, and peer consultations. Structural constraints, such as time limitations and departmental compartmentalization, were identified as barriers. Conversely, strong school leadership, a collaborative school culture, and a shared belief in the value of DI were seen as essential enablers. These findings underscore the importance of aligning professional development with supportive school conditions to foster sustainable instructional change in DI.
As schools become increasingly diverse, strengthening teachers' cultural responsiveness is more crucial than ever for equitable practice. This quasi-experimental study examined whether a culturally responsive teaching (CRT)-focused professional development (PD) program could shift Chinese kindergarten teachers' cultural responsiveness and their evaluations of ethnic minority (EM) versus Chinese students' learning motivation and engagement. Seventy-two teachers completed 20 three-hour PD sessions over 10 months, while 60 teachers formed a control group. Multilevel analyses of pre- and post-test data indicated that PD participation was associated with greater gains in cultural responsiveness and more favorable judgments of EM students' motivation, though not of engagement. Teacher mindsets moderated the PD effects, with fixed-mindset teachers showing particularly pronounced improvements in judgments of EM students' motivation. The findings suggest the promise of CRT-based PD for enhancing teachers' responsiveness and reducing biased judgments in early childhood classrooms, while underscoring the need to consider teacher characteristics in PD design.
This study examines the relationship among faculty perceived needs of online education, facilitating, satisfaction, and teaching efficacy. The perceived needs refer to how faculty recognize the necessity and importance of online education in their classes. This concept is critical because it impacts their readiness, attitudes, and instructional design. Data were collected through an online survey of 121 faculty members at South Korean colleges. The results showed no significant direct effect of perceived needs on teaching efficacy. In addition, facilitating mediated the relationship between perceived needs of online education and satisfaction, and satisfaction mediated the relationship between facilitating and teaching efficacy. A dual mediation effect of facilitating and satisfaction was also confirmed between perceived needs of online education and teaching efficacy. These findings emphasize the importance of institutional support in strengthening facilitating practices and faculty satisfaction to enhance teaching efficacy and improve the overall quality of online education.
Learners' and teachers' attitudes toward and views on errors are closely tied to their practices regarding errors. This study attempts to reflect and compare learning and teaching practices, attitudes and beliefs of mathematics teachers (M.Ts) and English teachers (E.Ts) who are also learners as postgraduate students regarding errors, mistakes, and feedback provided on errors. Data were collected from 162 in-service English and mathematics teachers through a survey. The results indicate that both English and mathematics teachers as learners have similar practices, attitudes, and beliefs regarding errors and feedback in their learning and teaching processes, although some points significantly differ according to their subject. This study also points out that the beliefs of E.Ts and M.Ts regarding errors and feedback are mostly compatible with their practices in teaching. As a result, it proposes that teachers address students' errors constructively throughout sessions, allowing them to create a positive error atmosphere. In this respect, the findings of this study should be taken into account by teacher education programs in order to train instructors on a positive error environment in which learners have a high potential to learn from mistakes.
A teacher's sense of autonomy is often perceived as restricted by accountability, but the interplay between its external and internal forms and how it is influenced by teaching experience remain unexplored. Framed by labor process theory, this study investigates the relationships among external and internal accountability, teachers' sense of autonomy, and years of teaching experience in the Chinese context. A survey was administered to 349 primary and secondary school teachers in mainland China. The results challenge and refine traditional assumptions of labor process theory by demonstrating that external accountability can be positively associated with teachers' sense of autonomy through the mediating role of internal accountability and that this process is nuanced by teachers' career stages. This study highlights the complexity of accountability regimes and the importance of considering teachers' internal drive and professional experience in understanding their sense of autonomy.
This article presents research conducted by the Education in Emergencies (EiE) Forum's expert panel, examining the Israeli education system's management in conflict-affected areas during the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. The study aimed to assess the impact of the emergency on K-12 teachers and students and to formulate a risk management plan to support educational continuity during prolonged crises. Employing a Delphi survey as main research tool, the panel identified and ranked key risks and opportunities. The findings focus on teacher-related risks and their interrelationships with opportunities for mitigation, specifically: (a) significant organizational change in the education system and (b) societal engagement in education. The study demonstrates that by adopting strategies for organizational change, granting greater autonomy to educators and collaborating with civil society in teacher recruitment, it is possible to alleviate teacher shortages and support teachers' professional well-being, thus leveraging the EiE to enhance teachers' professional development.
Educational systems worldwide encourage teacher-led action research for professional development and school improvement. Within this context, principals can cultivate conditions in which teachers feel valued and confident to take initiatives. The authors test a conceptual model for strengthening teachers' research attitudes in Greece, drawing on the Job Demands-Resources model and resilience theory. Survey data from 679 Greek primary and secondary teachers were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Teacher resilience fully mediated the association between empowering instructional leadership and research attitudes. Teacher imagination showed both direct effects on research attitudes and indirect effects via resilience. The findings highlight leadership practices and teacher capacities that can be leveraged to promote resilience and, in turn, a more research-engaged teaching profession.
Teaching unfolds amid uncertainty that cannot be engineered away. Teachers carry internal models of how classrooms work, and when events contradict those models, surprise results. The Active Inference framework, drawn from theoretical neuroscience, formalises this dynamic by treating teachers as agents who generate predictions and learn from the mismatch between expectation and outcome. Surprise is therefore not a planning failure but a signal driving learning and models refinement. The framework also captures something about teacher development: novices cling to routines that minimise immediate surprise, while experts learn to manage expected uncertainty, treating it as informative rather than threatening. This article revisits classic research on teacher thinking to position uncertainty and judgement as central problems, introduces the Active Inference concepts needed to model them, and re-reads three longitudinal case studies to trace the shift from reactive error minimisation to proactive uncertainty management as teachers move from novice to expert.
